348 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 6, I860. 
Now, if an Apple tree on a paradise stock be planted in this 
soil, and taken up after one year’s growth, its root-stem is 
surrounded by a dense mass of fibrous roots; but if it be 
suffered to remain till the end of the third year undisturbed 
these fibrous roots are not to be found; the root-stem is bare 
of fibres, and three or four long fangs, going deeply into the 
soil, only are left. The tree is still vigorous, and so I have 
felt assured that these young, healthy feeding-roots, even when 
attached to a healthy tree, do die. 1 do not make an idle boast 
when I say that I have seen more roots of fruit trees than any 
physiologist or gardener that ever lived, and finding that no 
two of the former ever agreed, I adopted my practice of root- 
pruning and removing trees so as to force them to form new 
feeders when, either by death or removal of the old ones, they 
were required. 
I like to discuss these matters with friend Donald, because he 
writes kindly and agreeably, and reminds one of old times 
when many physiological crotchets were discussed by men who 
wrote and talked fiuently, but did not always practise cleverly 
and with energy.—T. R. 
VENTILATING A SMALL GREENHOUSE- 
CINERARIA OFFSETS. 
I HAVE a small “ lean-to ” greenhouse, facing east, roof and 
side-lights fixed, front sashes four feet square, opening. Should 
I, for ventilation, put small sashes on pivots in top of back wall, 
behind which is a sheltered lane ? 
Will the offsets from frost-killed Cinerarias, now growing in 
pots, bloom this year ?— Ah Inexperienced Amateur. 
[The ventilators in the back wall will make all right. Glass, 
as you propose, will be best. Wooden ones would do. In this 
number you will see a mode of putting ventilators in such a fixed 
roof, by having small one-square sashes made to swing on pivots 
between the sash-bars. We do not know what your back wall is, 
but either mode will do ; and we do not think you will need the 
ventilators all the way, though if you commence, it will be as 
well to make all uniform. Even the afternoon sun through such 
glazed ventilators will be an assistance. 
We have no doubt the Cinerarias will bloom if fairly grown, 
but they will be late, and the roots, when, in pots, are no great 
admirers of very hot weather. You may neutralise that, how¬ 
ever, by keeping the pots cool when the hot weather comes.] 
INARCHING VINES. 
I planted a new vinery in May, 1858, with eight Vines, four 
of them were to have been Black Hamburghs; but, to my great 
disappointment, I find them to be Black Princes, having fruited 
them last year, and I do not think it worth growing in such a 
small place as ours, and I have four Black Hamburghs to replace 
them. 
Now, the information I want is, which would be the best.; to 
inarch the Black Hamburgh on the Black Prince, or to plant 
them by the side of them, and cut out the Black Prince as the 
Hamburghs come into bearing ? I am aware inarching would 
bring fruit soonest, but would the Hamburghs be as productive 
on the Prince stocks as on their own roots ? They have made 
very strong wood as yet, and are breaking very strong this spring. 
—A Three Years’ Subscriber. 
[If you value the fruit, it would be as well to plant the Ham- 
burghs by the side of the Black Princes. If you do not value 
the fruit, and to make doubly sure, you might plant the Ham¬ 
burghs, train to a single shoot, rub off all the buds of the Prince 
except the lowest bud, and let that grow, and then, when firm 
enough, inarch the Hamburgh and Prince, and cut off the top of 
the Prince when all taken right, and then you would have the 
roots of both to support the plants. You need not, however, 
be afraid to inarch in the common way, as you dislike the Prince .] 
YELLOW PANSY FOR BEDDING. 
Although I am keenly alive to the presumption of differing 
from Mr. Robson, yet feelings of gratitude prevent my acquiescing 
in the snow' shower he has poured on the yellow Pansy. I saw 
it last year forming a line in a ribbon on two sides of a long walk, 
where, of course, it had to face two ways, and it was quite dazzlmg. 
Another great advantage is the length of time you can have it in 
bloom. Old plants divided will come into bloom at the end of 
March, and go on till the middle or end of July well. And the 
cuttings you put down at this time, will then take their place, 
and go on till the end of the season. 
I fear I cannot be very explicit about the yellow Marigold. I 
had seed several years ago from Vilmorin, Paris. It was per¬ 
fection, there was not a trace of brown. The plants were very 
dwarf and compact not more than three or four inches high, the 
flowers mostly double ; but some few plants had single flowers. 
The flowers about the size of a shilling in great profusion. 
It must be a French variety, as the blossom is just like those 
of the French. I have tried repeatedly for it since, but have 
never had it true. A friend of mine, who does things on a much 
grander scale than I do, and who spares no expense, fully re¬ 
cognises the value of this Marigold, but like me cannot get it 
true. lie last year took up and potted any plants that were of 
the right kind, and placed them in a greenhouse, in hopes that 
they would mature them seeds there. They will not do so in the 
open ah here. If they come up with him, I will endeavour in 
the summer to send Mr. Robson a plant, that he may judge of 
them by inspection. 
Is Carter’s yellow Toni Thumb Nasturtium likely to be a good, 
compact bedder?—A Subscriber, 
KEEPING A SMALL GREENHOUSE WARM. 
My house stands high (500 feet above the sea), and open to 
the winds, particularly from north and north-west. The house 
is 13 feet by 8 feet, and span-roofed, and is all glass from 2 feet 
6 inches above the ground, except on the east side, which is the 
gable end of a wash-house forming part of the garden-wall. The 
glass on the top is Hartley’s Patent. It has only been by the 
most extreme care and watchfulness, that I have been able to 
keep the temperature above 40° at night, and only once has it 
been as low as 38°. It is heated by means of a brick flue (the 
bottom of which is six inches'a’oove the floor), from the fireplace 
in the wash-house, forming a semicircle, above which are the 
shelves for plants. The fireplace was originally a common grate. 
A boiler-grate has been substituted, with a thick metal plate as a 
cover; and by means of dampers the heat of the greenhouse-flue 
can be regulated at pleasure, the plate at the same time being 
heated sufficiently for cooking purposes if needed. I have found 
much greater difficulty in keeping up the heat on a night when a 
strong north or north-west wind prevailed, of which wc have had 
numbers, than in the coldest frosts; but at all times the quantity 
of coal used is excessive, and I am inclined to think that the fact 
of the north side being glazed is the cause, by reason of the wind 
forcing its way through where the glass overlaps'. With a view 
to a remedy I shall feel grateful if you will advise what had best 
bo done:—-whether to putty each overlap or joint, of the glass, or 
what other method you would adopt ? At the same time it must 
be borne in mind that coals are cheap, and possibly you may 
consider the free ventilation so caused beneficial and equivalent 
to the extra attention. If so, I shall not begrudge it.— An 
Amateur. 
(We presume your flue gets hot enough, as you say it can bo 
regulated at pleasure ; if not, we would incline to think that 
much of the heat above the fire escapes by the metal plate into 
the wash-house. It would not be the first time that the shed in 
which a furnace was placed got hotter than the bouse the furnace 
was placed there for. We have no doubt that if a chamber were 
formed over that plate, and two openings from it were iu your 
house on the Polmaise principle, and you put your face against 
the upper opening, you would find that the heat did something 
more than warm the flue. The flues in such a span-roofed house 
would have told more if nearer to the glass. However, 38° were 
not bad in the worst w'eather we have had. It would, however, 
be advisable to putty the laps of the north side ; for, if very open, 
the quantity of fuel you might require might dry the air of the 
house too much. We would, however, be inclined rather to run 
a covering of cloth or mats round that side as far as could be 
reached conveniently, and in severe weather water the floor near 
the flues, and place some evaporating-basins on the top of these. 
The laps will be fill right in summer. You must keep in mind 
that your fire suits two purposes; and if coals are cheap you 
must not mind a little extra. You will see something of flue- 
heating economically ; but in that case care is taken to get all 
the heat from the coal.] 
